PISCATAWAY – Coming out of South Jersey, linebacker Kaiwan Lewis never truly considered playing for Rutgers football.

What a difference four years makes.

With Rutgers now in the Big Ten, Lewis, who is transferring from South Carolina, decided Monday to return home as an immediately eligible graduate student by choosing Rutgers over Nebraska to finish his career.

"I just felt like it was a successful situation either way," Lewis said, "so why not do it at home?"

Lewis made 11 starts in 31 career games at South Carolina, where he recorded 20 tackles in eight games last season, but decided to leave because "some things changed here that I didn't agree with."

Rutgers is searching for a new middle linebacker to fill Kevin Snyder's shoes and has added Lewis and junior college transfer Isaiah Johnson to compete with last season's backup L.J. Liston.

"I liked the plan that they had in place for me," Lewis said. "I felt like it would be good for me, and it fit me and my style. It's all about coming in and competing to start."

Just like when he was a senior at St. Joseph High School in Hammonton with all the BCS conferences represented in his approximately 20 scholarship offers, Lewis put heavy stock in level of competition the second time around.

The Big Ten made a "whole lot" of difference, said Lewis, adding "they actually play some top teams, (ranked) No. 1 through 25, on a consistent basis."

While Lewis connected with the coaching staff, his top recruiter might have been redshirt junior defensive end Quanzell Lambert, a Timber Creek High School product who hosted his longtime friend on a recruiting visit this past weekend and talked to him about the Big Ten schedule.

"We've known each other for a while," Lewis said. "That's my brother right there. We've always been in contact, and when I first said I was leaving here he was the first person I talked to."

Lewis, who never redshirted, plans to graduate from from South Carolina with a criminal justice degree in the spring of his third year and enroll at Rutgers in the summer.

"I think I bring a maturity level and I'm very prepared," Lewis said. "It should be a good transition because I played with top-tier talent, some of the best running backs in the country. I played against some great people and I played with some great people on the same defense, like (2014 NFL Draft No. 1 pick) Jadeveon Clowney."

Rutgers could have moved former middle linebacker Steve Longa, who played on the weakside last season, back to his old position to replace Snyder, but that possibility seems unlikely with the recent recruiting splashes. Coach Kyle Flood said after the season that he planned to start the three best linebackers.

"There's a new leading contender to replace Kevin Snyder at middle linebacker," ScarletReport.com analyst Sam Hellman said. "Lewis has legitimate SEC experience, and is instantly eligible as a graduate transfer. Most importantly, Lewis strengthens the 'homecoming' message that Kyle Flood wants to spread through New Jersey."

The list of immediately eligible transfers who have succeeded at Rutgers in recent years includes right tackle R.J. Dill, cornerback Lew Toler, punter Nick Marsh and wide receiver Andrew Turzilli.

Liston has played in 22 games, including one start, in his first two seasons at Rutgers and made it clear during bowl prep that he intended to be the 2015 starter. He will have spring camp to show he can make the same impact as Lewis.

"Lewis is a big, physical linebacker, one that should help keeping pace with the physicality Rutgers will see in the Big Ten," ScarletNation.com analyst Bobby Deren said.

"He had a long list offers coming out of St. Joe's as well as some early success down at South Carolina. He fills a position of immediate need at Rutgers, and with his physical style of play, Rutgers will have a run-stuffer up the middle."